“This is a mutually beneficial project. It is profitable to establish connection between power systems of the East and Siberia. The Transit-500 project has an estimated cost of about 55 billion rubles. But it is only about our profit, the project will need further development to provide Mongolia with reliable power exports,” he said.

The power bridge may ensure supplies to five isolated power systems of Mongolia, and a distribution grid should be constructed in the country.

“It needs financing. My colleagues and I are preparing a plan for development of the power industry with Mongolian power experts, the French are also a part of this. It will be clear by the end of the year. Representatives of China, Russia and Mongolia may participate in financing of the project,” he said.

Mongolia plans to build a dam on the Selenga River which flows into the Lake Baikal, but Russia has repeatedly warned about significant ecological risks of the project and expressed readiness to compensate the lack of power in the country. In April, Budargin said Russia suggested construction of an air power transmission line with a capacity of 500 kV or higher to transfer 1 gigawatt of power to Mongolia.

(58.5786 rubles – U.S. $1)